BCCI Salutes Kohli as He Bids Farewell to Test Cricket
Following former Team India captain Virat Kohli’s announcement of retirement from Test cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued an official response expressing its gratitude. Through a post on social media, the BCCI conveyed thanks by stating, “Thank you, Kohli.” It remarked that an era in Indian Test cricket had come to an end and noted that Virat Kohli’s contributions to the Indian team would be remembered forever.
According to the BCCI, Virat Kohli made his Test debut on June 20, 2011, against the West Indies in Kingston. He scored his first Test century in January 2012 against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. In 2014, also in Adelaide, he began his tenure as Test captain with an exceptional performance, scoring 115 runs in the first innings and 141 runs in the second. With centuries in both innings, he became only the fourth Indian batter to achieve this milestone in a single Test match.
Virat Kohli led the Indian Test team in 68 matches, the highest number of Test matches captained by any Indian player. Under his leadership, India won 40 Test matches—the most wins recorded by any Indian Test captain.
Among the notable highlights of his captaincy was India’s historic 2-1 series victory in Australia during the 2018–19 season. It was India’s first-ever Test series win on Australian soil, ending a wait of 71 years. Under Kohli’s guidance, India rose to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings and held that position for a record 42 consecutive months. On home soil, his leadership saw India remain unbeaten in Test series, winning 10 out of 11 series during his captaincy.
Kohli also led India to the final of the 2019–21 ICC World Test Championship, where the team finished as runners-up. Over the course of his career, he scored seven double centuries in Test cricket, a record for the most double hundreds by an Indian batter.
The BCCI extended its best wishes to Virat Kohli on behalf of the entire Indian cricket fraternity, stating, “His legacy will continue to inspire future generations.”